Battle for the Islands
by M Knightium
Summary: Usami, as a means to bring everyone together, created a friendly paintball war for everyone with a super special prize at the end of it. Fuyuhiko on the other hand, had the idea that the winner would get absolute control over everyone...no matter what.
1. The Rules

(If anyone's wondering why this story vanished; it's for a good reason. I realized too late than in fact having them all on teams _wasn't_ a valid plot purpose as it'd take away the whole major risk with the fight, and perhaps even leave little to no avail for things to go fun. So thus I'm rewriting Battle for the Islands with a free-for-all premise to things; every man for himself. Alliances can be forged and friendships can be tested, but only one winner could emerge from the fight, and take rule over the island. So, enjoy this, and if you all want even throw some review votes of who you all think should win; it'd be interesting.)

* * *

The Island trip of Hope's Peak. It was a summer getaway for the 77th class of the academy, and only a week into it things had gone very well. The students were cooperating to find materials for building, spending time with another and having the fun the trip was all about.

And then came an idea, an idea that their teacher, Usami, had to bring them all together for to the main island…something that made everyone both confused, and at the same time terrified.

"We'll have a paintball war!" The rabbit declared, as many of the students voiced vexed concerns, and in the case of Mikan and Souda panicked heavily. Noticing this, the teacher did her best to explain why…and how something like this was to happen. "N-No one panic! It's a good way for you all to build good focus and hand eye coordination, and while sure you'll be against one another it's a healthy way to improve in m-many places!"

 _Do those places include severe brusing?_ Hajime shook his head, rubbing his forehead and making sure Chiaki was awake…she had been dozing off for a good while. Fuyuhiko wore a calm confident grin, obviously loving the idea, hence with him speaking up first.

"So, lemme have the rules; you got my interest."

"Great, well everyone will start with one of these," As if magic guided her Usami suddenly created a Paintball gun, but with the cartridge being mounted on the bottom of the gun; like a magazine for a machine gun. "These, with each having different colored balls to represent each of you. They hold up to forty shots so…try to be careful. B-But don't worry; around each playing field I laid out additional cartridges for you guys…they'll adjust to the color of your gun once you fire." Hajime didn't wanna know how or why that happened, but he just felt it'd be wiser to let her continue.

"To make things more heart throbbing, I placed other Paint related weapons around the map for you guys to use, but it's first come first serve; be sure to grab it before someone else does!" This was sounding more and more interesting by the moment. "There will be about three battles every day, for five days. Each island is the main fighting spot, and you guys will all be fighting in one of the many places; from the Airport to the amusement park as well!"

"Like a…uwaah…video game." Chiaki concluded at last, finally waking up. "With multiple maps and multiple weapons scattered about." Many nodded and voiced their agreement to this, finally comprehending.

"Y-Yes, thank you Chiaki. Each winner will have a major victory under them; whoever has the most at the end of the week, wins the super-secret ultra-rare prize that'll blow your mind!" She announced with even some confetti. Before any could even ask what the prize was she was already gone, with the last thing she said being to meet her on the First Island, at the Airport.

"Anyone know what that prize is?" Akane was first to ask, obviously curious. "Is it an ultra-rare meal…I wanna ultra-rare meal."

"It could be every man's dreams…all the girl's panties~" Teruteru already sported a nose bleed, shivering with delight…though many refused the urge to deck him. Gundham crossed his arms and nodded, rubbing his chin.

"Perhaps it could be the sacred blade of the tempered hell…the relic I had searched for all my life…finally it shall be in the hands of its rightful owner."

"Good heavens, we should be careful if it's a sword then." Sonia clasped her hands together, delighted over the entire event.

Fuyuhiko had an idea, one he voiced to everyone.

"I gotta better prize in mind," He smirked, watching everyone's eyes shift to him. "What if whoever wins…gets full control over the island, and everyone on it. Like…a king."

"Huh? Whaddya mean by that one man?" Souda was first to ask, obviously confused though his asking did irk the yakuza.

"If you'd shut up for a goddamn second I'd explain. Basically, whoever wins gets complete control over the islands, with their word being law. For example if I won; I could make Akane over there rip Teruteru's arm off and eat it."

"B-But I need my arm!" The cook protested, only for Fuyuhiko to wave his hand dismissively. "But to keep shit from gettin' too extreme…no fucked up shit like that. You can keep it lewd…but don't ask someone to flat out suck you off; Teruteru. And even better, first one out gets punished by everyone."

"Aw."

As the others conversed and even agreed to this new idea; Hajime considered all of this, and felt a growing sense of dread fill him…this made the stakes much higher than they should have been, and a friendly game turned into a penalty game.

"Seems despair is still working its way into our heads and our hearts…" Nagito spoke up, almost from behind Hajime; making the latter jump. "This game was to bring out everyone's hope…my how fast despair works."

"Nagito, we talked about this. Besides…can't be that bad right? Just someone being able to boss everyone around."

"I dunno there…I overheard Mikan's plan and they involve you, some ropes, a series of needles and a ball gag…for once I am actually concerned about her mental health."

…Hajime paled in seconds.

"Nagito we need to win this crap no matter what. Who knows what sort of hell everyone'll go through…"

And that day the war for the islands began. Everyone had a stake to claim, and everyone had something to gain…and lose from this fight.

Some more than others.

* * *

(So another DR2 story, following the burst of creativity the ending for DR3 gave me. I'll be working on this when I get the mood and time, between Dangan Hunters and this. So expect some fun and some chaos. The original idea was for it to be a free for all, but I might have the whole teams situation dissolve later in this story, when the playing field's smaller. Could lead to some more interesting ideas and even some explosive ideas. So take care, and be ready for something great.

I have a birthday to go celebrate; I'm one year closer to the end apparently.)


	2. Airport

The Airport was still isolated and desolated, as it was always when Hajime first woke up and looked around the islands to begin with. Still hard to believe they were the only ones for miles here…none the less, that wasn't the pressing matter at hand; the game was.

They were all gathered in the lobby of the Airport, with Hajime carrying Chiaki once more, Usami appearing before them all with a flare and dazzle of light.

"Excellent! Everyone's here. Now, the rules here are simple; Elimination." Her wand waved and everyone suddenly held one of those P-Rifles, along with body armor on their chests, forearms, and shins, along with masks for each of them to protect their faces. "If you get shot somewhere critical, you're out. Critical being chest, head, back, and many big places. However, getting shot in the shoulder or leg is okay; it may sting but you'll still be in the game." Hajime did rule that the little clause there meant it'd take much longer before someone could be eliminated.

"Now the game will last one hour; sixty minutes. It can end early if one player remains. If more than one remain when the time limit is reached, you'll have a sudden death showdown…d-don't let the name scare you; just seeing who shoots first."

"…coulda just said quick draw." Fuyuhiko rolled his eyes, inspecting his gun a bit as he waited. "Are our guns color coated n'some shit?"

"They are, yes! Each one is a color that I personally thought that'd benefit you, so I'll be able to tell who takes who out in the game. While the goal is to have a last man standing, the player with the most eliminations can also win. So it _is_ possible to eliminate ten players only to be eliminated yourself and still win the game."

So hiding wasn't an option. Hajime could see that problem already.

"Allllright, you all have two minutes to prepare yourselves and get ready for the game; once I blow the whistle you can all go right on in and see who comes out as the winner. After this match we'll take an hour break before we continue!" And like that she was gone, leaving Hajime and the others to disperse quickly. Though despite the fact they were all foes here he still found himself trying to safeguard Chiaki; following her around the winding halls of the airport.

"Hajime…it's everyone against everyone…" She yawned, still with her slight narcolepsy. "You'll risk losing if you stick with me."

"I don't wanna see you get hurt…plus there's not really much to gain from me winning this game."

"You should still try your best though; it's no fun for anyone if you let yourself be taken out…I know you can do it, so just try, okay?" After an exasperated sigh Hajime finally agreed, and when the whistle blew, he turned to Chiaki, and just walked away…

…he was hoping and praying she wouldn't shoot him in the back, but thankfully he didn't feel the blinding sting of the shot. She was giving him a sporting chance.

That much made him want to give it his all for her.

* * *

"F-Fuck…why'd we even agree to that stupid rule…" Souda whimpered, hugging his gun close to him while walking through the lobby, a short while after the game began. He hadn't seen anyone nor did he hear any commotion…either he was far from it or everyone was just being _really_ quiet to freak him out…

…and it was working. He was actually scared.

 ** _Creek…_**

"AUUUUGGGHHHH!" Souda open fired at the ground in terror, having heard something, though when his wits came back he saw it was just one of Gundham's hamsters; the little furball unharmed. "Oh…just one of Gundham's gerbils-" And his brain started processing. Gundham never let those little things go too far unless he was close to them so he could vanguard and watch over them…

…the click down the hall was the only testament to the notion Gundham was _not_ far at all.

"…please no." Purple paintballs peppered the ground Souda was moments ago; the Mechanic running for his life from the Ultimate Breeder's shots.

"You can flee, cowardly run, but none shall escape the wrath of Gundham!"

"Just did asshole-" Stinging pain filled his head as he hit the ground, his visor going white in color.

…it took him a moment to realize he'd just been shot.

"You're both very loud you know." Nagito muttered, lowering his gun and shrugging, a calm grin on his face. "Though you were louder and much closer, Souda." The pink haired teen rolled to a sitting position and tugged his mask off, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah yeah, guess I'll go sit out somewhere. Glad Fuyuhiko can't call his penalty game bullshit."

"Hopefully not, but for now I should keep moving; Gundham disappeared and it's only a matter of time before he gets me…let's see how well my luck benefits me this time." Like a ghost, he was gone, leaving Souda to sit there and shake his head in annoyance.

On the bright side, at least Sonia didn't see him get clocked in the head like a jackass…that much brought him comfort.

* * *

Hajime kept as close to the wall as possible, staying in a crouched stance. All those times he played paintball when he was younger was finally coming to assist him; one was to always make themselves less of a target to avoid from being taken down so easily.

And one of the biggest rules; rely on your eyes and ears.

Already he could hear some commotion ahead; Nekomaru's voice resonating. He aimed down the iron sights of his gun and saw the big man himself roaming around…and he held something.

It looked much like some sort of Shotgun, but clearly it was fashioned for a paintball game…he found one of the hidden weapons. Thankfully he didn't notice the reserve student yet, so thus he aimed down the sights, and squeezed the trigger.

"Huh? Who threw paper at me?" The big man reached down to tap his stomach, feeling the brown paint there, shaking his head and chuckling. "Seems I got cocky…good one Hajime." Seeing as he was out there was no other reason to fear; the smaller teen standing and releasing a breath he wasn't aware he was holding.

"No hard feelings…right?"

"Course not! You got me when I wasn't focused, so you did well; otherwise you'd be covered in some paint right now." He set the P-Shotgun down, wiping the paint from his shirt while he walked. "Gonna go get sumthin' to eat; you can take the gun there and see what you can use it for."

"Oh thanks…means this'll be harder to fail in." The mere second Hajime picked the gun up he saw Fatkuya round the corner, and a quick trigger shot later painted him as well.

"…really? That fast?"

"…sorry."

* * *

Chiaki…was asleep, leaning against a wall, snoring lightly. Nagito didn't even shoot her, he just unloaded his gun, pulled a ball out, and mashed it against her head to eliminate her; waking her slightly.

"Go back to sleep…you got eliminated."

"Oh…oh well." And with that she was out again. Sometimes Nagito wondered what she spent the entire night doing to warrant her being this tired all day but, not the most pressing matter.

What was concerning though was he could hear Mahiru and Hiyoko walking together…they were in an alliance it seemed. He loaded the gun and aimed; firing the mere second he could see some red hair.

"Ow! Hey! Who shot me?!" He was already moving, pleased he was able to remove a threat before she even knew it.

That camera allowed her to see far ahead…make it easy to take people out.

* * *

Quiet was the polar opposite of what Ibuki was doing. She was singing to herself, twitching and bobbing as she walked, and overall enjoying herself to the fullest, despite the fact she could be taken out at any moment.

It was like the game didn't even matter to her…which made sense since she didn't have a lot to gain from winning; all she planned to do was make everyone listen to her music for a week straight and jam with her…it'd be fun for everyone…probably.

"You should really try being silent, Ibuki." She whirled around to see Nagito standing there, aiming at her. "I heard you down the hall and to the right."

"Ibuki can't stop her rhythm; just go with it and see where it goes!" Her fist pumped into the air, removing it from her gun as she did so. A sudden sting filled her chest, as she saw the white paint on her. "Noooo! Ibuki's hit; call a doctor, call a lawyer, call the chimp at the zoo and tell him she's sorry!" Dramatically she leaned against the wall, coughing and faking how it'd be had she really been shot…to which Nagito honestly just chuckled, amused at the display.

"Even in defeat your hope still blooms…good job there." He took two steps and came face to face with Hajime; the latter aiming his P-Shotgun at the Lucky Student's head.

"I foresaw this coming…the showdown between us Hajime." He lifted his gun, a grin forming under his mask. The other student just tightened the grip on his gun, gritting his teeth.

"Just trying to make it fun for Chiaki…like she wanted."

"Chiaki? You know she's out right?"

"Wait, really? It's only been thirty minutes."

"She dozed off outside a room and I came by to Eliminate her…I just lightly papped her with one; had Hiyoko saw her the little one'd just empty the entire clip to mess with her." At least it was comforting Chiaki was still resting peacefully. However, in a flash Nagito fired, and the provoking there made Hajime fire.

Brown paint and white paint splattered; they took each other out.

"…well shit." Hajime muttered, dabbing his thumb on the white paint covering his mask. "…does this wash off?"

"Probably," Nagito wiped the brown paint off his jacket side. "We should go find the out circle…with how few people I saw roaming it's safe to assume not a lot are still in the rat race."

"Agreed…should we go pick Chiaki up?"

"We should yeah; she's still over there snoring."

At least Hajime felt he was safe from the game taking a very savage turn.

* * *

"And I'm down to my last few shots…" Fuyuhiko muttered, obviously annoyed. He had spotted Akane earlier and gunned her down, but now he was nearly out of his own ammo…if he got caught he needed to make every shot count or else he'd be screwed.

A light thud in front of him made him look up; Peko standing there with her gun lifted. He wanted to be furious, but at least it was her doing the eliminating.

"Tch, shoulda saw this comin'. A'ight Peko; make it quick so I can go get something to eat."

"…I won't." That caught his focus.

"Huh?"

"I won't bring harm to you. I swore an oath when I was let into the family to always protect you…even now. I am only your sword; a sword does not turn on its master." Fuyuhiko's dismissal rapidly turned to frustration.

"Peko, we talked about this; you're not some tool…you're a person; a human. Now don't just stand there…get it over with so we can both be done with this."

"I cannot. A tool never turns-"

"YOU ARE NOT A TOOL!" He finally snapped, clenching his fists and glaring pure rage at her. "Peko you're someone I care 'bout a lot; you were there for me my entire fuckin' life so I know damn well you are not a tool. A simple weapon has no free will; _you do_. Does that mean you're a simple tool; it does fucking not!" He was in her face now, seething with rage. "Now I want you to take that gun, and shoot me. Don't give me that crap 'bout you being a tool."

"B-But…I…"

"PEKO, for the love of fucking God and all that's holy SHOOT ME! DO IT!-" And he felt the sharp, stinging pain in his stomach; the force being enough to knock him onto his ass, hand moving down to pat the spot where he was shot.

Silver…her paint.

"Young master! A-Are you hurt-"

"I'm fine…see right there? Tools don't turn on their masters…you did. Makes you more than a person." He pat her shoulder, though it was a bit off with the height difference between them. "You're a loyal friend, Peko, and I'm glad you finally listened to me on something like this."

"Th-Thank you." He swore it but he could see her blushing there.

"Hey Peko, one more thing."

"What is it-" Black paint hit her moments later, Fuyuhiko having shot her while she was distracted. The silver haired swordswoman looked down, and for once…she started to laugh; they both did.

"Looks like we lost this shit…oh well." He started walking; tossing his mask down as well as his gun. "Let's set sumthin' to eat…wanna get somethin' from Teruteru if he's out."

"Yes youn- I mean…Fuyuhiko." They walked off, oblivious to the fact the cook was never counted out…same for a few more.

* * *

"I should have forseen my survival in this petty game." Gundham muttered, walking with his gun on empty. He gunned down Teruteru earlier though the extra shots did was decrease his odds of winning severely.

As if the little cook knew how to get under Gundham's skin with those perverse remarks about Sonia.

"No matter, the lord of ice shall see this game come to and end."

"Indeed, we're so close to winning!" Sonia spoke up next to him…she had forgotten that there would only be one winner…which meant at some point she'd have to shoot Gundham in order to win.

He'd allow that; it was for the best for his maiden of darkness to triumph. However, he heard something, and ducked in a flash; dandelion yellow shots pelting Sonia's back.

"Ow! Who struck me?!"

"Oops, I was aiming for the freak." Hiyoko; the accursed child. Gundham was up in moments, his four Devas scurrying from their hiding spots and squeaking at the petite dancer, who had a full clip considering she never went after anyone. She open fired again and Gundham, despite knowing Sonia was out, put himself in the way and took the barrage, gritting his teeth and wincing the entire time.

The problem was she wasn't aiming for him; Hiyoko was just trying to make Sonia suffer before moving on.

"Yay! Two for one! That means I only gotta take out pig barf and-" Magenta paint hit her head, the force being enough to knock her right on her back, head spinning. Down the hall entirely Mikan stood there, holding her gun and shivering.

…she had just unwittingly won the game.

"Hiyoko! I-I'm sorry, are you okay?!"

* * *

"…so…no one seriously checked to find Mikan?" Fuyuhiko asked later, seated next to Peko in the Hotel Restaurant. Earlier Usami had declared Mikan the winner, and awarded her one Victory Point; putting her in the head and ahead of everyone else. Hajime shrugged, shaking his head to Fuyuhiko's question.

"I guess not; I spent the entire time trying to avoid getting shot…no clue how I avoided her in there."

"I guess she has some luck after all." Nagito smirked with his usual eerie glee, but not before realizing something. "Hey where's Souda? He should be here right now."

…they all noticed Fuyuhiko's grin form; one betraying the dark nature behind Souda's fate.

"He's…busy right now; Peko told me he was the first one out so…he got punished."

"Punished…how?" Was all Hajime asked, already growing concerned for his friend's fate.

* * *

"Someone! Anyone! Help me outta here!" Souda was tied to a palm tree, hanging upside down, as he struggled to get loose. Akane sat nearby, Teruteru busy cooking something via portable oven, humming up a storm and ensuring the smell wafted right up to Souda. "Seriously! I'm hungry and my head feels like it's gonna pop!"

"Ohoho~ Would you rather come down here and partake in this thick juicy sausage here? Akane's enjoying it already."

"…on second thought, I'm fine with being up here." The mechanic sighed, trying to just bear with the punishment and deal with it…Sonia couldn't see him and that was at least a pleasing thought for him; meant he wouldn't get humiliated further.

…he hated this though…the next game better be easier…

* * *

"Hajime, I just realized something." Nagito finally said, as the luckster checked the clock; they had only twenty minutes before the next game began. The two of them were in the halls of the hotel, moving to go to the next location Usami wanted them to fight at. "Mikan won."

"Yeah, she must've done really well and evaded everyone."

"That too but…she's one step closer to getting rule over everyone." Hajime dropped his bottle of soda, paling in seconds. He turned sharply, and he could see down the hall, those eyes watching him…waiting.

Mikan held a rope in her hand, and she pulled it a few times to test its strength…her eerie grin never fading. She was blushing heavily, as if her mind were running through the many fantasies and scenarios she had planned for Hajime, if and _when_ she won the game.

"…Nagito for the love of god we need to win the next game."

"Seconded…I'm on the chopping block too." He started walking, clearly disturbed with how…dark the Nurse was now. "I heard from Mahiru she wanted to tie you up and use some toys."

"Christ if she wins I'm a dead man." Hajime walked as quickly as he could, already terrified with the fact Mikan had a win under her belt.

If she managed to win this whole thing…then the memories from the trip would haunt him for the rest of his life.

* * *

(Being honest, to get the results of who was out and who won, I spun a wheel. And the order of elimination was frankly the order the wheel was in. So…that was why it was so erratic. Fun challenge to write up who fails though.)


	3. Predator Mode

This time they were called to stand outside the Hotel Mirai; Usami appearing once again…and seeming rather perplexed.

"Um…where's Kazuichi?" A few shared some snickers and a few chuckles, but ultimately Akane returned, dragging him along via a rope and brushing her hands off.

"…he got stuck in the tree." Usami seemed to…just ignore that, shaking her head somewhat.

"A-Anyhow, the next match is far different from the others. This one is something I like to call Predator Mode!"

"Predator? Like that movie alien who stalked, hunted, and killed those mercenaries?" No one really anticipated Sonia to ask that…she only shrugged at their confused looks. "What? I viewed the movie back in my home country and I was fascinated with it."

"…duly noted. Anyhow, Kazuichi, please step forward." Souda managed to literally bite through the ropes holding him and stand up, wobbling a bit due to being light headed and walking over to Usami. "Since you were the first one to be eliminated in the last game, I had an idea." Hajime could literally sense the laughter at his friend from a few of the others, but Usami's next words made many go silent.

"Kazuichi will become the Predator in this extra fun game!"

"…so…mind explaining what the hell that means?" Fuyuhiko was a tad irked; no doubt because he wasn't allowed to be the Predator despite not knowing what that was.

"Essentially, Kazuichi will be armed with superior Paintball weaponry and even a motion tracker, whereas you all will be left with…nothing. Since he was removed first last time this could be a good way to boost his self-esteem and make him feel better about himself, along with being given a decently good chance at winning."

"…then…how do we win?" Mahiru seemed rather confused, and a tad frightened now.

"It's simple; this match will last an hour as well; one of you wins if you can survive the entire time without Kazuichi eliminating you. However, if you all are taken out then _he_ wins, and is awarded a Victory Point." Souda was already struggling to contain his excitement from the fact that he was the apex predator.

"Wh-What sorta gear do I get to use Usami?"

"Well the P-Burst Rifle, a Motion Tracker, and even a nifty little mask that makes it easy to see people with its Thermal Optic Lenses. Since you're the Ultimate Mechanic, you can make everything else in the ten minutes I'll give the others to hide," The bunny turned to everyone else. "As for you all, in those ten minutes you should find a secure hiding place. You must remain on the first island though so leaving is a free loss. But bear in mind, if Kazuichi sees you; he only has to shoot you once to remove you from the game. You _can_ try to fight him…just…still…getting shot removes you." Hajime was able to piece that together; even if he does see one of them there was still the slim chance they could get away from Souda's hunting as long as they didn't turn and fight. Hiyoko's hand shot up, the small girl already intimidated by the fact Souda could essentially get a free win.

"But what if the smelly grease monkey cheats?! Like…um…like…" She lost her fire there, though Usami did give an answer.

"He can't cheat; his only rule is to get everyone by any means needed. He just can't make promises to not eliminate certain people…no foul play allowed. Now, you all need to get ready, when I blow the horn; Souda gets to hunt." The mere second she was gone Souda literally bolted, off to go make some things to give himself an edge.

"This is all so strange…do you really think Mister Kazuichi will be gentle in this?" Sonia asked, only somewhat concerned for her well-being…which made sense; all things considered. Gundham merely shrugged, and started walking, with his hamsters all perched on his shoulders.

"I do not care, the mechanical idiot can come to face me…and I will strike him down."

"Unless he strikes us all down in a matter of seconds." Nagito spoke up, catching their attention. "Considering we humiliated Souda earlier…it's possible he may be coming everyone with feverous intent...we may be in a severe jam." That put everyone on edge, and within seconds they all dispersed and ran away to find spots to hide.

They were the prey, and he was the predator…

* * *

"…so…any sign of him?" Nagito asked Hajime, both of them situated inside of the Old Lodge. Chiaki was snoring next to the wall again, and Fuyuhiko was there with them, as was Peko. The five of them thought to hide inside the old building with the hope Souda would glance past them…but so far they'd been in the game for only five minutes and already the tension was rising. Hajime looked around outside via the window, and shook his head.

"Souda's not out there…do you think he's asleep?"

"Doubtful…he'd jump at a chance like this to fuck with us." Fuyuhiko grit his teeth, obviously upset. "As long as he doesn't come after me for tying him up to that tree we're square." Hajime could see Teruteru outside roaming…the cook must've been pretty confident in himself to try that.

And then they saw one of the trees lower from sudden weight being pressed down at its top…and Souda was there.

He looked to be wearing some sort of metal blocky boots, with strange gauntlets as well. A metal pack rested on his upper back, and a helmet covered his head while his shark toothed maw was exposed, with the green tinted visor glowing while staring down at Teruteru.

The worst part was, the gun was literally _on the pack_ , like some sort of shoulder mounted cannon, that rapidly hummed to life.

…Teruteru only had time to scream and run in the opposite direction before the blast of pink paint sent him to the ground, covering his back and making the cook twitch in place on the ground.

"…okay…holy fucking shit." Fuyuhiko muttered, watching Souda leap again as if he were some sort of athletic god, like Nekomaru or even Akane. "How, and why, did he make that?"

"Souda's the ultimate mechanic…it makes sense that he'd be able to rig something up that'd allow him to jump that high and lock onto Teruteru."

"And if what Usami said about the thermal vison's true…"

"I can see you guys clearly." He was standing _right_ outside the window, arms crossed. "…you should run; the Paintball Blaster's already locked onto Fuyuhiko." They were already gone, with Hajime grabbing Chiaki and carrying her bridal style while running; hearing the gun fire and pelt the ground nearby. Thankfully Souda wasn't following them but they could damn sure hear him shout in the close distance.

"Keep on runnin' guys! I'll get you soon!"

Hajime realized Usami just made a monster…

* * *

"So…what's the plan here?" Mahiru asked Ibuki, as her, the Musician, and Hiyoko were all hiding behind a few benches, with a…trap established; lying ahead of them.

They had dug a pitfall, and in the center of it was…Sonia's panties; resting on a few nets concealed via sand. No one knew where Ibuki procured it, but the garments were in the trap…and they were waiting.

"…again Ibuki…what's our objective here?"

"Shh…Ibuki needs complete concentration for this trap."

"…we're trapping Souda? Did Usami make a rule against that?"

"No! Ibuki remembers perfectly and the rabbit never said we can't trap Souda. It's the perfect trap to get him!"

"…really?" They all turned sharply to see him there, arms crossed with an annoyed look on his face. "You set a trap? Props for that yeah but…not working." Ibuki was already gone, vaulting over her the bench and running…

…only to fall into her own trap and fall into the pitfall; trapped up to her waist in the sand.

"No one panic! Ibuki triggered the trap! Let's not freak out! She'll just wiggled and either sink further into the sand trap or finally get out...no...wait...Ibuki's sinking...ha!" Mahiru just sighed, and closed her eyes, hearing the gun fire up.

…the shot wasn't as bad as she thought; just _worse_.

* * *

"So, accessing the situation…we're fucked." Fuyuhiko concluded; Hajime working to wake Chiaki up while the others from earlier were hiding inside a cabin. "Souda's got some sorta predator gear rigged up…anyone get a good sight on what that shit does?"

"If I may interject, young master…" Peko finally spoke up, hand firm on her bamboo sword while she stood guard near the door. "The boots seem to use a propulsion system to launch him into the air, and the gloves contain retractable adhesives to allow him to cling to most surfaces…if anything the best course of action would be to conceal our body heat; Kazuichi wouldn't be able to track us then as long as we stay in one place."

"…Peko that's the smartest thing I've ever heard." Nagito finally spoke up, doing his own thinking. "But what fools a Thermal Lens…I think mud does but we don't have that around here on this island. But we should—" Nagito tripped on a piece of paper and fell, just as the window caved in from a glob of paint shooting inwards and splattering Peko; causing her to hit the wall.

"Damnit! Why does his luck always help him?!" Souda was hanging upside down from a palm tree, hands holding onto the top firmly, with that little cannon on his shoulder swiveling and rotating to aim again. "Hey Fuyuhiko! You're still a shorty!"

"Fuck you say-" He was shot the second he emerged from cover to yell at Souda, hitting the ground and sitting there for a good minute. "...this was a trap; I realize that now." Time was out; Nagito scrambled to his feet and steeled himself, turning to Hajime briefly.

"You should run; I'll only be able to stall him for so long."

"Nagito you sure about this? Those paintballs look like they hurt."

"More than you can fuckin' imagine…" Fuyuhiko groaned on the ground, rubbing his face. The luckster just nodded, still as calm as ever.

"I'm sure my hope will prevail. Besides, you should move Chiaki somewhere safer. She's still napping." Though begrudgingly, Hajime picked the gamer up in his arms and moved for the door, opening it and walking out…

…he heard the splat of Nagito get shot seconds later. So much for a heroic sacrifice…

He felt a sharp stinging pain to his back, and Hajime was down, wincing and doing his best to prevent Chiaki from getting hit.

"Oh shit-hey are you okay Hajime?"

 _He asks that after he shoots me…smart…_

"I'm fine, just in ungodly pain right about now!"

"Oh cool you're good then…is Chiaki okay?"

…Souda…still an idiot. He did walk over and pluck a bit of paint off Hajime's back, lightly poking Chiaki's forehead, waking her.

"Out."

"…aw." And with that the mechanic was gone to go hunt down the others. Hajime just sighed, and pat the gamer's head; feeling her go back to sleep in his arms.

In all honesty, it could be much worse all things considered.

* * *

The time was down to only five minutes remaining. In those fifty-five minutes Souda had actually eliminated all but two players; Sonia and Gundham. They were on the beach, and Gundham was engrossed in actually making a circle in the ground, one designed for alchemy. His four dark Devas were nearby on a chair watching him work, while Sonia pat and cuddled the furballs while she watched the Ultimate Breeder work.

"Mister Gundham…what would this…drawing do?"

"Lady of darkness, surely you jest. This is a summoning seal; designed to draw the mechanical hunter closer so I can take him down once and for all. The time is nearly up and if we do not hurry, he will taste victory, and us defeat."

"Ah, but wouldn't it be…wiser to hide somewhere then? Five minutes Does seem like a short enough wait to avoid him."

"Nonsense; did you not hear what that rabbit spoke? Those goggles and his items make him an apex hunter; nothing will be accomplished by running! Defeating him here, and now, is the only way to secure victory, and dispel him." The seal was complete; Gundham stepping into the middle of it and crossing his arms, seeming to be muttering an incantation with his eyes closed. He went on for quite the while before suddenly stopping, Sonia tilting her head in a confused manner.

"He has arrived." In the tree above them Souda was sitting there, the little cannon on his shoulder humming as he locked onto Gundham. "My summoning worked it seemed."

"Nah, just tracked your motion here and came after you…so…" He fired, and Gundham actually _dodged_ the shot, deep lines in the sand from where he jerked himself. Souda kept firing, and Gundham kept dodging, managing to avoid the shots and the brunt of the mechanic's rage.

"HAHA! You cannot hope to hit me! Your weapon is far too slow, mortal fool—" In his haste he didn't anticipate Souda to lift his arm, and a paintball shot out from the gauntlet to pelt Gundham's chest; a surprise dirty trick that the Breeder didn't expect.

"…you're cleverer than I gave you credit for."

"Or the Paintball Blaster's just cooling down so I went with the backup plan." Souda jumped down and landed with a thud, now at the moment of truth. He had only two minutes left…and the final person to eliminate was the one person he was fighting this hard for in the first place.

Sonia.

"Mister Kazuichi, if you don't do something I'm afraid you'll be out of time." Internally Souda was having a debate with himself. If he shot her with the last Paintball, he'd win, but possibly make her hate him…but if he hesitated and didn't, then she'd win and he'd have done all of this for nothing! His teeth clenched, breath ragged, as he tried his best to focus.

The clock was ticking…everything hurt…his hand lifted and he looked away before firing…

…

…

The pink paintball splattered against the tree next to the princess, just when the time hit zero.

"And we have our winner, one Victory Point to Sonia!" Usami seemed to appear out of nowhere and shout; the other students all beginning to converge on the beach and realize that Souda didn't win, despite being so close.

"The fuck? You were so god damn close to winning man! What the fuck made you throw that away?!" Souda didn't even answer Fuyuhiko, he just pulled the helmet off, set it down, and walked away.

…Hajime was the only one to see there were some tears on the helmet's rim.

* * *

"Souda! Souda where are you?" Hajime, Nagito, and Fuyuhiko were trying to find the mechanic; the next game was about to begin in about thirty minutes and Usami asked them to find Souda…but he was nowhere to be found.

Not in his cabin.

Not at the pool.

Nowhere he'd normally be.

"Where the hell'd he go?" The yakuza hissed, wondering why he didn't just send Peko to find Souda and bring him back. "He couldn't have gone very far, all things considered."

"Souda's quite nimble when he wants to be, he could be anywhere right about now."

They even had to span out away from the First Island to finally find him…all the way on the Fourth Island; in the amusement park. He was staring up at the Ferris Wheel, sitting on the bench, hands slouched.

It was clear he was _not_ in the best of moods; the trickle of tears down the mechanic's usually jubilee face was the clear sign of that.

"…I'd have been able to go here with Sonia." He said, already knowing Hajime and the others were there. "Have a fun date here…spend some good time, having fun too…but…I blew those chances up."

"The hell do you mean by that?" Hajime just motioned for Fuyuhiko to just calm down, the reserve course student doing his best to be tactful while moving over and patting Souda's shoulder.

"Souda, it's not the end. You lost one game; happened to be and Nagito too-"

"You don't get it man! I could've won! I'd be one step closer to getting that status and being able to go out with Sonia…to…get the chance to ask her out here."

"…it'd be a hollowed victory." Souda glanced up confused at Hajime's sudden words. "If you have to use a king title like that just to get her to notice you and even agree to a date. It just means you lack the skills and tricks to get her to notice you using your own talents."

"But…l-look at me; compared to that Gundham guy I'm always gonna be second best-"

"Then maybe you need to finally consider actually moving on." Those words made Souda wince, almost as if he were struck by a harsh fist. "…Sonia's a great girl yes, but pursuing her endlessly without any form of result is…well the textbook definition of insanity man. There are other girls on the island y'know: Mahiru…Mikan…Peko-"

"Touch her and I drown you while you fucking sleep." The annoyed voice of Fuyuhiko already cut in, though Souda didn't seem to have heard him.

"Not helping, point is Souda…maybe it's really time to just let go."

"…I-I guess…" His words were a bit choked, but ultimately it looked like Hajime got through to him.

"Plus to get your mind off her, work on more inventions. Like these things here," The reserve course student tapped the metal gauntlet Souda had. "When you left everyone was asking how you made them; amazing piece of work."

"R-Really?"

"Indeed, you used your ultimate to the fullest and proved its worth Kazuichi; that's something special." Despite how creepy that sounded it was still the best compliment Nagito could throw out there.

"…was pretty bitchin' since you could jump like a damn frog everywhere." Fuyuhiko finally commented as well. "Seriously, how'd you make something like that in ten minutes?"

"I had to…take a few things apart, and weld them together to make some supercharged spring boots; storing kinetic energy via a spring propulsion system that releases when I jump. The Paintball cannon was just me taking a laptop apart from the old store on the Fifth island to make a targeting system." He went on for a good while explaining how he put his stuff together, and with each passing minute he went from depressed to actually happy again; eagerly disclosing the details of how he made the stuff and even offering to make a few for them too…only Fuyuhiko was interested.

When the time came to head back, Souda was the first one gone, with Hajime and Nagito lagging behind, to speak on the situation.

"Do you think he's finally over Sonia now?" Hajime shook his head to Nagito's question, seeing the Mechanic eagerly telling Fuyuhiko the things he could build and the yakuza wanting to see if he could make them into weapons.

"It'll take a good long time before Souda's ever truly over Sonia. I bet the second she asks for his help he'll drop everything and dash over to give her a hand."

"Oh? Then what did we accomplish here, aside from cheering him up…probably briefly, from what you said."

"We gave him options for if and when Sonia finally tells him to stop. Had this never happened he'd have just snapped and try to strangle Gundham…but at least now he'll be able to move on; maybe even find someone else. Or at the very least get immersed in work to the point he'll forget about her."

"Ah…well, we'll see how strong his hope really is in this despair riddled moment then."

Hajime knew there was one more match for the day, and he had no idea who would win this time.

But he wanted to try and make sure everyone had a fun time in the game; wasn't just about winning some power or a prize; it was about having fun with his friends, and making fond memories of their time on a barren island.

…sounded better in his head.

* * *

(Reason for the moment here…while I do ship Sonia and Souda I also see Sonia and Gundham being also a decent couple, so I had an emotional moment with our favorite mechanic finally coming to terms with the possibility that Sonia didn't want to date him nor would she ever, and using the game as a means to make it happen anyways would just cement hatred towards him. It'd be an interesting concept to actually explore Souda working on going without her and seeing where it could go as well in this game. Humor will still be present yes, but there can and also will be some moments of emotional time like here and the previous chapter. So, stay tuned, and enjoy. I may take some time to myself and work on other stories.)


	4. Beachside Rumble

"Yo Souda! The hell'dja run off to?" Nekomaru's booming voice greeted the four of them upon returning to the group, namely to the others. The time was nearly sunset, and after this it'd be close to curfew. Still, one more paintball match to end the day.

"Eh? I-I had some…shit to do…yeah…some shit."

"Who cares! Show Ibuki how you made that armor! She wants to jump like a frog into spaaaaace!" The mechanic looked down to his weird gauntlets, steadily removing them but even then he bore a slight grin from their fascination with his armor.

"…it's a long story; I might make you some when we're done here." The others continued to ask the mechanic questions pertaining to either how he made the armor, or even asking him to make them a set of it, giving Hajime some hope that Souda would eventually get over Sonia.

Not today of course, but maybe now before they left the island to go back to the academy.

"Aaaalright students!" Usami appeared again, standing before them all on the sandy beach. "Here's the last match of the day! This time it's much like the airport one but with special conditions!" Before anyone could ask what she meant they were all armed not with the P-Rifles from earlier but in fact small handgun like things.

…Fuyuhiko was the first to respond, and not happily either.

"…okay why the fuck are we gettin' these weedy little pistols now?"

"Fairness, Fuyuhiko! You're all fighting on the beach now! Limited cover, and limited visibility since it's almost dark! So, no P-Rifles, as it'd be too easy to eliminate a classmate from across the beach!" Hajime could see the logic in that…barely; working to inspect the handgun and seeing he had the same paint from before.

"So…same hour of gameplay?" Chiaki finally spoke up, seeming more alert than before…it was clear she was a night person. "Or is there a catch to this one?"

"Well, since it's awful late, let's try thirty minutes. You all need dinner after all! Though here the goal isn't to just be the last one standing but also have the most eliminations."

Made sense.

"Once I blow the horn you all go have some fun and end the day with a smile, okay?" And with that everyone dispersed, though this time Hajime thought it'd be wise to not stick close to Chiaki, as he had done the other two games.

She seemed…off…like sticking close to her was an easy way to get his ass kicked.

Usually Peko or Akane gave off that vibe…and at rare intervals Mahiru…

* * *

"So how long until we die?" Souda asked Nagito, the two of them hiding behind a dug out trench in the sand. They had a…cease fire going on between them; namely because Souda didn't wanna get ghosted by Nagito and the luckster was just…not in the mood to shoot him. In the close distance they could hear gunfire and paintballs hitting either trees or people.

"Judging from the fact Nekomaru and Akane have teamed up…I'd say we have twenty-seven seconds."

Souda just sighed.

"Nice." They did hear some moving, and Nagito was the first to look before green paint splattered against his head, causing him to fall back and hit the sand.

"What the fuck?!" Souda didn't even get a chance; a green paintball splattered against his head as well; the mechanic hitting the sandy ground as well.

"…who just shot us?"

"Not sure…but that hoodie looked familiar…"

"…she's finally playing the game isn't she?"

"Yeah…welp no idea if one of us gets punished so…here's hoping it's me."

* * *

"Ha! Fuck you Teruteru!" Fuyuhiko laughed, watching the fat cook go down from the paintballs he fired at him. It was seven minutes into the game, and already a lot of them were downed and out.

He actually had some confidence the point would go to him for this round-"

"OW!" His lower back stung, and he reached his hand down to pat the spot…green paint.

He was taken out.

"…well fucksticks." The yakuza sighed, well this was predictable. He didn't get torn up over losing; least he was having fun shooting his friends.

…rather shooting them without the risk of there being blood everywhere. He did dab his thumb onto the paint on his back and hold it up to his eye…something about it seemed…familiar.

"…huh."

* * *

Five minutes to go, and the only ones who remained were Hajime, Ibuki, and lastly Hiyoko. The dancer was currently firing at a tree Hajime was hiding behind, whereas Ibuki was just…aiming at her; probably wanting to do some sort of joke when she was noticed. The reserve course student's best idea was to just wait until Hiyoko ran out of paint and then he'd be able to shoot her.

…or rather that was the plan…

She hit the ground, face first, as green paint stained the back of her head. Ibuki only had a second to react before she got the same treatment.

And it was at that moment Hajime realized that not only was he alone, but he was clearly not the last man standing…the sudden click to his right told him that.

"…you finally got serious, huh Chiaki?" Despite the view of the gamer aiming her paintball gun at him, it was still something both adorable and at the same time good to see. Her head tilted a bit, as her eyes drifted to his own firearm.

"You could shoot you know," She muttered, still in her tired voice. "Win the game and get the point…why don't you?"

"I…don't really have the guts or confidence to shoot you." He admitted, shaking his head. "Doesn't really seem right."

"Hajime, remember what I said at the airport?" She stood only a foot from him now, gun at her side a bit…as if she were giving him a sporting chance to actually win. "You still need to try your best. This isn't some sort of war video game with no respawns and the risk of death…it's just friends shooting each other with paint. No one will hold it against you for getting them, and no one will hate you for winning…I won't hate you for shooting me." A grin formed on her face, the very grin that always made the teen forget his problems and even brighten his day. "So go ahead, and give me your all."

"A-Alright, I think I can, I think-ow!" The mere second he lifted his arm to aim for her shoulder, she had fired at him seven times in the chest before he could even comprehend what was going on; landing on his ass and leaning his back against the tree.

"…was all that just a ruse to get me to try so you'd shoot me easier?"

"…somewhat." She stifled a yawn, somehow tired after all the napping she did over the course of the day, before seating herself next to him; leaning on him and dropping her gun. "But…it's glad to see you tried."

"Before getting shot." He corrected, hearing the others approaching along with Usami.

"And the battle for the First Island has concluded!" Above her a scoreboard formed, with all their names on it. So far there was a tick mark for Mikan, Sonia, and now Chiaki, so it was a three-way tie for first. "Now you all can go rest up and spend the evening doing what you desire. Tomorrow we move this ultra-fun game to the Second Island, and see how fun much fun we can have there!" And with that she was gone with a poof, leaving them to converse amongst each other…and to go help up Hiyoko; she was still stick and clearly not getting up anytime soon.

But, at least the game was going okay so far, and though he was nowhere close to winning Hajime was having a blast; as long as he was with Chiaki he'd give it his all, and enjoy this game to the fullest.

* * *

"Okay, we're going with a new rule," Fuyuhiko spoke, catching everyone's attention at dinner time in the hotel. "The punishment shit will only happen during the first match…cause…we can't really get Souda and Nagito today without Usami noticing." He ignored the cry of joy from the other side of the room. "But hey, Second Island…anyone got any idea how it'll play out."

"I bet it'll be all sortsa fun for Ibuki!"

"Could be a suitable environment to unleash the hounds of hell upon you all for your insolence, especially _you_ , large breasted demoness from the third circle of Hades!"

"You get shot in the crotch and you're still pissed, funny." Akane muttered over a mouthful of meat, Nekomaru shrugging.

"Could be a good place to really push everyone to the very limit, and to see what you all really got."

"And I could finally accomplish something without being taken out in a flash." Fatkuya noted, busy munching away on his bacon wrapped chicken…courtesy of Teruteru. The cook himself waltzed out of the kitchen, bringing with him another plate of freshly cooked food for everyone to dig into.

"Mmm, dun know 'bout you guys, but I could really see some fun things on the next Island, if ya catch my drift~"

No one wanted to.

"I've only been to the other island once or twice before," Sonia chimed in, obviously enamored with the thought of the fight being taken there. "Maybe once the first match is done I can explore it properly and see its sights."

"Oh yeah, for sure!" Souda was still on about her…but glad to see he didn't keep his eyes on her the entire meal; working to make another spring boot like he used for Akane. Peko was as silent as ever, but Fuyuhiko did whisper something into her ear that brought a grin to her face.

Hajime took this all in from where he sat next to Chiaki, and he made sure to first stop the gamer from falling out her seat asleep before thinking on again. Usmai might cook up some new methods for them to all fight…and he wanted that.

Keep the game interesting, and keep it fun for everyone. The second Island was known for its deserted look and the few things there…could be fun to see just how their battle there would play out.

And who would ultimately win this game, and not only get the special prize Usami spoke about, but also have full dominion over everyone.

…he was praying Mikan didn't win.

* * *

(Glad everyone's enjoying this story. I read the reviews and tried to make Chiaki more active during the last match, although I think I made her more akin to being overkill instead but…all in good fun. We're on to the next Island now; think like Fusion Frenzy and now we're on the next bout. After here it's on to the Third, the Fourth, and then the final island, where everything comes to an end.

Scoreboard so far:

Mikan- 1

Sonia- 1

Chiaki- 1

As you can see, not many, but the second island should put some others on the board…ironically with there being fifteen fights there runs the risk of it being a tie but I'll avoid that as best I can. Anyhow, leave a like and a review, and I'll work on Dangan Hunters in the meantime while letting this story circulate more and be enjoyed; the fact that the first island showdown has concluded is a good way to cover that.

Have a good day everyone, and be sure to leave a like and a review too!)


	5. BvG

The Second Island…Hajime didn't see much about it really. It was the same old place, just mostly beaches and the diner nearby…in all actuality this was one of the more boring places they could fight.

Still, meant it'd be easier to have a good time.

Usami had them all gathered outside the diner, with the entire group somewhat tired from being roughly awakened…

…and not just because it was 6AM.

"Why the fuck are we up so damn early?" Fuyuhiko griped, rubbing some sleep out of his eyes while Nekomaru snored nosily against the wall, not even complaining. Usami, at first, was a tad concerned, but the rabbit rapidly recomposed herself.

"Y-Yes well, it's time for the next match, one you'll all like. All of you have the potential to win a Victory Point!" Nekomaru snapped awake, Fuyuhiko calmed down, and everyone else immediately paid attention. "This time it's a team based fighter; Boys against Girls."

"Sooooo…they already lost? We're kinda better than them." Akane nearly got tackled by Fuyuhiko. Usami was about to break them up but thankfully the others did that for her.

"N-No fighting…I-I mean not yet I mean. This one is a team based game to see how you all work together and cooperate in a fighting situation, and prove you all can bond together to win a game together, further enhancing your friendships!" Her wand waved, and a special set of Paintball armor dropped down, one blue and one red, with black markings along it. "Boys get blue, and the girls get red; your team leader has to put the one with black markings on; if they're removed the game is over." Usami waved her wand again, and other specialized armor sets formed on the ground, Souda being the first to notice one seemed much heavier than the others.

"For this match, there are specialized classes as well, including the Medic. Using a special bottle of paint remover, they can pull players back into the game!"

"Bitchin'." The yakuza already liked the sound of that. "And the others?"

"There is a Heavy, who can wear armor that stops more paintball shots and can use bigger weapons, and a Sniper, who uses the long-ranged paintball weapons, and even a Grenadier who uses high area-of-effect paintball based weaponry; among the typical Assault class. But despite these new and innovating features to the Paintball war the long-term goal is to get to the enemy team's leader and eliminate them, or eliminate their entire team before the Medic can 'revive' them, in a sense. The winning team's members all win a Victory Point, so more of you can have your name on the board. Additional supplies will be scattered across the island for those who get there first, including extra paint removers and even stronger P-Weapons."

 _And be one step closer to keeping Mikan away from victory, hopefully…_

Hajime nodded, as he rubbed his chin. So far this game was a wild card; if he and his team won then he'd be on the board, but if he lost, then Mikan would be one step closer to using those…things…

…he'd have nightmares for weeks.

"Alrighty! The boys get to use the Beach House for a base, and the girls get the Library; you can trespass into the other base just don't expect an easy time in the enemy territory!" That made sense. "You can take other players hostage to get information but…please no torturing! The goal isn't to hurt your friends, it's to have fun!"

The glimmer in Fuyuhiko's eyes was a dangerous warning.

And like that the meeting was adjourned, and the teams were dismissed to go get their gear and equipment prepared for the new battle.

* * *

"So guys, so far this is a sure win," Fuyuhiko said, the Yakuza loading his blue colored P-Rifle, staring at the guys on his team. "We may not outnumber them, but we got brawn _and_ brainpower!"

"Correct," Twogami spoke, seating himself in the corner as he fiddled with the P-Sniper he found. "But you seem to have miscalculated something."

"And that is?"

"They have the same amount of brainpower and ability. Sonia, while at times daft, does come from a country where most are gifted in military prowess at a young age. If she were to apply that tactic here she could hit us in a sharp blitzkrieg that'd leave us with nowhere to run. She may even be bold enough and cruel enough to take prisoners of war to disclose our plans."

"We got Nekomaru's brawn to help with that—"

"They have Akane, who's at times _more_ violent than our coach. Not to mention Peko is on their side and she may favor her false blade to simply beat someone into submission."

"…SHIT!" The big man himself already muttered, the better word being half-screamed, rubbing his chin. Souda finally spoke up, standing bolder than ever.

"Guys! What if we made a gun!?"

"…you're a jackass, we can't do that—"

"Actually, Fuyuhiko, Usami never disclosed there being a rule to not modify or augment the guns this game. If anything, Kazuichi could just rig us up some sort of tank or armored patrol car to use to go to them directly and win. It make take an extended duration but it could work out if he's quick enough and has the time to craft it."

"And then I can see 'dem panties!" Teruteru hit the ground when Fuyuhiko cracked him across the face.

"Ignoring the fucktard, here's the game plan. Nagito, since you're the medic you stick close to Hajime and Souda but if things get hairy, get your ass outta there; you three'll be heading for their base and surveying who's there, as well as covering Souda while he gets the needed parts we require. Teruteru, whenever he gets up, will accompany Twogami to the Ancient Ruins over there where he can set up shop as a sniper. Nekomaru, you need to head off with Gundham and see if you can go get those supplies and bring 'em back."

"And you? I mean, you'll be here defenseless…are you sure that's a good idea?" Nagito finally spoke up, checking his P-Shotgun and adjusting the weird backpack he wore filled with paint removing equipment…a form of medical kit. The Yakuza just shrugged, seating himself in a chair and leaning back.

"I'll just wait around and keep low. There ain't no rules sayin' they can't storm the base so if they do I'll slip out the window and run like hell."

…not the best plan, but Hajime was glad to see there was a plan in general established. He picked his P-Rifle up and motioned to Nagito and Souda…if they had a chance to take the shot they needed to.

There was no other way.

* * *

"So, got anything yet?" Souda shook his head no when asked, Hajime taking point and keeping his eyes up while the mechanic worked. They were outside the diner, and Souda was trying to take apart some things he found and rig something up, while Nagito kept his eyes out for anything threatening. Souda managed to make a few trigger mechanisms for his grand plan, but even then he was paranoid and terrified…as he should be; there was no telling what could happen. While they were supposed to be scouting out the enemy base and seeing who was there defending it, Hajime opted instead for helping Souda gather the needed pieces and mechanisms for his special project.

A light _**pap**_ nearby made all three of them take aim; Souda shivering while Hajime remained stoic and focused. Finally, after enough time they assumed they were safe…

…until Hajime hit the ground, clutching his chest, as a red splotch adorned his front. It stung, not enough to be mind-numbing agony but it was potent enough to snap him to focus and remind him that he'd been taken down.

"Sniper!" All three of them took cover behind the diner, another shot hitting the ground while Nagito dug his hand into the bag, withdrawing a bottle of clear liquid. He applied it to a sterile white rag before wiping it fervently across the splotch on Hajime's front, the red paint soon giving away and cleaning his shirt aside from the wetness on his front from the cleaner.

At least he was back in the fight, though a tad sloppy.

"I hit Hajimeme a second ago! Where'd they go?!"

" _I_ hit him, Ibuki, and they couldn't have gone far. Start looking!" Crap, Mahiru and Ibuki were searching for them…this wasn't good. Souda was nearly hyperventilating while Nagito remained as calm as ever, waiting…and waiting.

When a patch of red appeared at the corner, he popped up and fired the P-Shotgun.

"What the hell?!" Mahiru had paint covering her front, absolute fury covering her face. When Ibuki popped out next she got the same treatment, hitting the ground from the force.

"I'm hit! Medic! I want my last will!" Souda calmed down when he noticed they were no longer…really able to do anything to them. Hajime could see Mahiru about ready to blow up about the fact she got eliminated so early, and he sighed.

"Hey, you got me a while ago…so…good shot there." She calmed down slightly, but still looked fumed over getting taken down. "Guess you guys should go find Mikan and get brought back in."

"Yeeaaah…I guess." Ibuki darted off without a second thought, Mahiru following a while later. Breathing a sigh of relief, Hajime lowered his P-Rifle, overall glad the skirmish was over.

"We need to flee this area." Nagito said, reloading his shotgun. "They know we're here, meaning the likes of Akane or even Peko could come after us."

"Right; Souda you done over there?"

"Y-yeah, we can head on out." The group gathered the parts and materials he collected and they made their way back to the Beach house, to continue working and planning for things.

* * *

"Now are ya sure you're safe up there?" Teruteru asked Twogami, the latter of the two standing on one of the rocky peaks on the Ancient Ruins; loading his P-Sniper rifle and taking aim through the telescopic lens. The cook was standing in the sand, holding his P-Grenade Launcher, though he kept a nervous eye out for anything problematic. With a humph, the sniper merely waved his concern off.

"I'm well-fortified and secure up here and secure. You should focus on something else right now." The imposter glanced around, keeping a keen eye out for anyone. "Return to the base and try not to-" A splash of red paint below him made him shoot his gaze down. Teruteru was on the ground, covered in red paint, twitching sporadically as the imposter barely had time to drop down and roll behind cover, several paintballs peppering the roost he had been at.

"Yo! C'mon out fatass and face me!" Akane…well this wasn't good; she's playing Grenadier. "Or are you too mucha've coward!" The secondary shots told him she wasn't alone, and he popped out of cover briefly just to barely avoid another shot.

Hiyoko was with her…not a bad thing, all things considered. Twogami took a deep breath, and popped out of cover briefly; pulling the trigger just in time to take a paint grenade to the chest.

"Ha! I got him!"

"Aaand he got you." Hiyoko tapped Akane's stomach, the blue paint already seeping in. "…you're still dumb for not noticing he could just shoot you."

"Tch, at least we got this place secure…gonna…go find Mikan and get this paint offa me." She started to walk away, while Hiyoko calmly walked over to Teruteru, kicking his side a tad.

"Heh…you didn't even see it coming didja fatass?" He gurgled lightly in response. "Keep on gurgling; it's still really funny to listen to." She kicked his side again, enjoying the pained sounds he made.

"You know there's no real reason to keep torturing him right?" Twogami muttered, just sighing at the dancer's sadistic intent.

Sometimes he wondered how a girl so small could have so much unbridled monstrosity.

* * *

"Status report?" Fuyuhiko asked, back in the room with everyone. So far he was not prepared for Twogami to haul back Teruteru's unconscious form, coated in paint; thankfully Nagito could still remove it even though it'd take an extended time. That already told him that sniper position was lost, and that area was more dangerous now than it should be.

"Mahiru odds are has the sniper position in the Ancient Ruins; we can't afford to go through that area without getting pelted and if we stray too far we can take the same chance."

"Shit that's bad; what about you guys?" He glanced to Nekomaru and Gundham. "Ya got somethin' good to report?"

"The giant behemoth and I secured the provisions as expected," Gundham spoke, tapping a brown crate he brought back. "Though its contents seem best designed for another tale." When he checked Fuyuhiko confirmed they were just additional Paint Removers; meant more times Nagito could revive someone.

"Okay, not bad but not what I expected…was thinkin' it'd be some sort of weapon. Souda, how's that secret project comin' along?"

"Finished it actually," He spoke, jumpsuit covered with grease and dirt stains. "Took forever to make though but I think we're ready. So, what's the plan?"

"Simple; we need someone to keep all the girls in one spot at one time, and prevent them from moving on; so, when we go in we can get the assurance Sonia's there." It took everyone a second to catch on to what he was saying. "That's right; we need someone to play bait. The girls'll all be gathered in one spot no doubt to hear the information since we don't have any radios."

"So you need someone to get captured? I know they'll interrogate him all together so we should send someone strong like Nekomaru or—" Twogami was silenced when Fuyuhiko waved his hand abruptly, cutting him off.

"We need him for the operation; we gotta send someone they won't see coming. If we send Teruteru and let him get captured, they might just let him go and follow him. We need someone who we _know_ will get a rise out of them…" Hajime suddenly felt a lot less comfortable being in the room.

"…hey, Hajime, how good are you at playing hostage?"

* * *

"This sucks…this sucks so much…" Hajime swore to himself, walking along the road and keeping his eyes peeled. The problem was he was wandering _dangerously_ close to the enemy base and he was armed with a P-Rifle nearly drained of all its ammo intentionally.

Based on what Fuyuhiko said, it'd make him a more inviting target. They'd see him and assume he'd be easy to take down with their hand, and not shoot at him. What was worse was that on his back he was carrying a bag filled with fresh cooked meat…it was the only way to attract them...or rather her…

A sharp _**pat**_ to his right made him take notice, taking aim in a second…so far nothing…and then he heard a rapid series of footfalls, and turned around, fear coating his every fiber.

And like that ever nerve in his body stopped. His brain worked, processed and understood. Out of everyone on the island only one person liked meat more than anyone and would flock to it the mere second it was detected…

"MEAT!" Akane slammed right into him at bone breaking speed; Hajime nearly losing consciousness from the impact as the gymnast stood atop his back, devouring the meat in his bag without any form of hesitation or ease, Hajime's gun having clattered away in the struggle.

"Akane, you're aware you should eliminate him, right?" Peko's cold voice pierced his ear, the swordswoman approaching and surveying the situation with a slightly less than amused look. "Sonia wanted all guys eliminated when they get too close."

"I-I'm unarmed, and I came to talk about…eh…negotiations."

"…you came to negotiate…armed, and with a bag filled with meat?" Peko asked, having a hard time believing what he said. "This seems more akin to a trap rather than you trying to negotiate, Hajime." He had to think of something; if she didn't buy it then the entire plan would be ruined!

"J-Just let me talk to Sonia, it's important." Peko's piercing gaze made him nearly regret this whole plan until she finally shook her head.

"Akane, restrain him accordingly…we could find something useful from him if we're lucky." He sighed…well phase one done.

Phase two was not cracking when things went south.

* * *

Hajime really hated his friends sometimes. He was tied up in a desk chair, with the entirety of the enemy team standing around him, debating amongst themselves on what to do with their Prisoner of War. In the case of Chiaki, she voted to let him go and use him as a lure…in the case of Ibuki she wanted to use her music to get him to spit out his team's plans.

Mikan-it's best not to cover just what she wanted. For fuck's sake it was best to _never_ let her get a say in regarding his interrogation.

"Spit it out, ahoge-face! What the hell are the guys planning?!"

"Nothing, Hiyoko, I just came to discuss a peaceful solution to this…mindless fighting." He was improvising; the sharp narrow of Peko's eyes told him fairly clearly she could see through his bullshit, the others remained entirely oblivious…except Chiaki; something told him she could also tell, as well as the most important figure.

Sonia.

"Akane, please go out and scout the area; this feels like an elaborate ruse." The Gymnast shot off without warning, followed by Ibuki. "Now, mister Hajime, you will tell me _exactly_ what the others are planning, or I'll call everyone out sans Mikan…she seems very eager to spend some time with you." Hajime's blood thinned, not just because of the threat of nigh rape from the Ultimate Nurse, but because his mouth was slowly moving, trying to force him to get the words out. Willpower was all he had now…and it was fading.

"The…guys…are-" They came to his aid; he could hear a series of explosions before the wall literally exploded inwards, the front of a literal car ramming through. From the top of it, paint fired out like a rapid machine gun from a mounted cannon, Fuyuhiko eagerly manning it and pelting everyone in the room.

…including Hajime.

"…hey we win right?" The Reserve Course Student just grimaced.

Shit stung; it stung like a fucking wasp on LSD.

* * *

"Well, that was an exciting game." Usami spoke, almost ignorant to much of the class being covered in paint, wearing grimaces of fury and some pain, though a few like Chiaki and Peko remained indifferent to the treatment. "But, I can safely award all of the boys with their Victory Points; congratulations!"

"No fair! They cheated to get them with their tank!" Hiyoko still remained like a spoiled brat, Souda lifting his hand a tad.

"Actually, she never said we couldn't use our talents to win; if anything, you just got the short end of the stick and-ACK!" Hiyoko had gut checked him long before he finished. Usami was close to intervention but Fuyuhiko waved it off, just motioning for Mikan to do something about him.

"N-Now, let's take a thirty-minute resting period before we move to the next big game mode; it'll be team based as well but I'll add some lenience. So get some breakfast and let's all meet back at the diner by 9AM!" And with that, the bunny completely vanished as if she were never there, Hajime, Fuyuhiko, and Nagito moving towards the diner in advance, the Ultimate Yakuza in thought.

"Shit's gettin' harder." He muttered, Nagito asking what he affirmed by that. "She's making it easier for people to get mass points; that shit means if we get to the Third Island there's a chance for people to fall behind easier, and for others to catch up a helluva lot faster."

"So that makes the game that much more challenging. Everyone will need to truly shine if they ever want to come close to winning this battle and earning the title of Kinghood," Nagito spoke, soon turning to look towards Hajime. "Speaking of which, Hajime, what exactly did you plan to do if you won? I know it's no place for scum like be to inquire, but I'm just curious."

"O-Oh, I'm…not all sure; I guess just have everyone enjoy themselves more and…stop fighting?"

"Lame and pathetic; I'm gonna force everyone to act like actual fuckin' Yakuza for the day. So don't act surprised if you find Teruteru in the water with cinderblocks on his feet." Hajime had to grimace there, but it seemed Fuyuhiko was fairly confident on his plans for victory.

…but now that left Hajime worried; Nagito didn't inquire whatsoever on what _he_ sought from winning; odds are, that meant whatever he wanted was something debilitating.

There was even the off chance of forcing them to participate in that Killing Game that weird bear wanted when he showed up…that terrified Hajime more considering he got to know these teens and he really liked them.

So that meant there were _two_ people he had to prevent from winning at any cost.

To Be Continued…


End file.
